Saga of Shinso
by Sabersonic
Summary: This is but a small collection of stories that tell the tale of the vampire ancestor Shinso.
1. The Vow

_**Saga of Shinso: The Vow**_

**Disclaimer****:** I do not own Rosario + Vampire storyline, background, characters and similar media. Nor do I have had a hand in the creation of either it's graphic or animated incarnation.

A lone man marched down the empty corridors of the castle. Each footstep roared like thunder as he dared to march against what was decided for him, to embrace what his heart told him. What his pride demanded of him and to damnation with the consequences, he was not some lowly commoner beyond these castle walls. He was an aristocratic noble, but not just any noble. He was Count Issa Shuzen.

Soon enough, Issa had reached his destination and burst into the private study of the great lord of the castle. The ancient vampire and ancestors to nearly the entire vampiric civilization known only as Shinso. The powerful being donned a metallic mask and helm, cloaked in capes and gloves that hid his true identity to all and was revealed to only the most trusted of apostles that were also known as the Dark Lords for their heroic battle against an inheritor of Shinso's blood Alucard who dreamed of only destruction. It was of only one of these Dark Lords, the leader of the triumvirate, that brought the count's visitation to Shinso that day as he kneeled before the ancestor. The Dark Lord in question, Akasha Bloodriver, could only observe the whole affair.

"Rise." Shinso quietly commanded before Issa followed his orders. "Now then, Count Shuzen, do I dare ask of your business before me?"

"Do we dare play such games when all of the Ayashi Realm knows of your great ability of foresight, your power of prophecy?" Issa countered, while he occasionally stole glances towards Shinso's adopted daughter. Each time their eyes met, she could only blush and look away.

"Tis a heavy burden for one who foretell events before they come to past." Shinso replied. "Even the tales of the human Greeks warns of the selfish need to see the future. You must be mindful of what you ask of me of such a topic."

"Prophecy is not what I seek my business with you this day." Issa reassured Shinso. "However, even you should have realized the true purpose of my presence here today so why ask when you already know of what I seek."

"Yes, but I felt it proper to 'humor' you in your request."

It was then that Akasha spoke as she approached Shinso. "Father, do you know of what Issa-san requests of you?"

"Yes, but I'll allow the count the honor of its revelation-" Just then, the doors erupted to reveal a visibly angry vampiric countess as she stormed into the study.

"You bastard!" The vampire countess roared. "You dare to actually go through with this even though you had just sired your seed within me?"

"Gyokuro be still!" Issa roared back at his wife. "Though we may be husband and wife, my life is still my own and this is none of your concern-"

"Oh, but it is!" Gyokuro then aimed her outstretched finger towards Akasha. "Even if we are sealed in union, you still desire her! Did you think you can do this behind my back and get away with it?"

"I have done my duty to both House Shuzen and House Kuronkubisuto, an heir will be born-" Issa began.

"Your duty is to raise this heir properly to rule, not just impregnate me and throw me to the wind for this ancient whore-"

"It is best if you watch your tongue when before my presence Gyokuro-chan." Shinso warned quietly, yet his yoki was proof enough of his words. "This is not court society where you may hide behind the backs of others."

"My apologies, my lord, but the actions of my husband cannot be ignored! This proposal of his is but an insult to my pride as a vampire and a future mother! How will I know that he will keep to the vows of our houses when he turns Bloodriver-sama into his mistress?" The declaration caused a blush upon Akasha's face as she hid her reaction behind her fingers.

"I can assure you, wife, that I will hold dear to the vows between our houses and unto our union so grace me this opportunity to choose of my own free will!" Issa roared back.

"She is of the earliest generations of vampires!" Gyokuro lectured to her husband. "She is centuries- no, millennia too old for you to even contemplate anything remotely similar to a sealed union!" It was then that Issa spied a glass goblet upon Shinso's desk. He then recalled an ancient tradition well known by all vampires young and ancient, a ceremonial vow that one dared not to break for the gravity of the consequences.

Just as Issa contemplated upon his next actions, Gyokuro then turned towards Shinso. "My Lord, tell my husband that such a mating will not occur, that his future is that with me and this child and us alone!"

"Be warned child," Shinso cautioned the countess. "Prophecy is not for those that have expectations." At that moment Issa had slit his wrist with his sword and the blood from the wound flowed into the goblet.

"You swine!" Gyokuro roared. "You dare invoke _that_ vow!" Issa ignored his wife's outburst as he approached Shinso with the goblet that contained his blood.

"Dark Overord Shinso, with the blood I offer before you I proclaim the vow that Dark Lord Akasha Bloodriver will not be harmed so long as she remains by my side as my bride." Issa promised as he offered the goblet to the ancient vampire. The Vow of Blood was a ceremony of great importance to vampires in days long since past, one whose penalty was death. In those ancient of the ancestors, vampires such as Shinso were able to assimilate the powers and abilities of other beings through the consumption of that being's blood, including those of other vampires. In effect, the vow was an exchange, an insurance policy that the terms of the vow will be fulfilled much like how the daimyo of feudal japan exchanged relatives with one enough to cement alliances and ensure that they would not be attacked themselves. Even though Shinso bore none of the weaknesses of the vampires that survive to the world of today and thus would not benefit from this blood vow, it was not a task to be taken lightly by any vampire no matter the station.

With great hesitation, Shinso took the goblet from Issa's grasp. "Count Issa Shuzen, the terms of your vow were made in vain."

Issa hung his head in defeat as Gyokuro simply smirked in satisfied victory. "So then, you do not approve of my hand with Akasha-san."

"No." Shinso placed the goblet upon the surface of the desk before he turned back towards Issa. "It is because you _will_ fail."

The words truck Issa like an axe to his neck. Shinso warned of the dangers of prophecy to him, yet he did not understand until it was too late. The realization that he would not protect Akasha, his one true love despite his position and his nature as a vampire had wounded his pride- no, his heart.

"I'm sorry." Shinso apologized quietly to Issa before he left the study and the count with both his current and future wives.

It would have been kinder if Shinso had said no.

* * *

This is but the first of two one-shot stories that involve the mysterious Shinso. Currently I have no plans to expand upon this character, but perhaps sometime in the future and that there's enough interest for the character by that time.

As always, no flames nor brutally honest reviews.


	2. Eve of Destiny

_**Saga of Shinso: Eve of Destiny**_

**Disclaimer****:** I do not own Rosario + Vampire storyline, background, characters and similar media. Nor do I have had a hand in the creation of either it's graphic or animated incarnation.

It was yet another dark day that hung over the castle. All who dwell within, servants, vassals, students, knew that the Dark Overlord wished for solitude for his fallen wife, his bloodmate. Her life was taken away, her power stolen as with her life breath by one that was thought to be the most loyal of all who served and were taught by the lord of the lands, the legendary ancestor of nearly all of the most powerful breed of monsters, Shinso.

Yet there was one who dared to breach the self-imposed exile of the almighty ancient. One who was raised by the elder vampire ever since she was abandoned by her parents and left to fend for herself and her twin, the adopted daughter Akasha Bloodriver. She knew of the destiny foretold by the Shinso and knew for many centuries, yet it was still a reality that was difficult to stomach. Even so, she wished to see her adopted father one last time before she faced this new threat to both the worlds of Humans and Monsters. She knew deep inside that she should not leave him alone in his grief.

"Lord Shinso?" Akasha called out as she carefully opened the door that lead into the vampire ancestor's darkened sanctuary. The tomb that housed the body of Lady Zaleska to which Shinso cradled lovingly. "Father?"

Akasha received no response from Shinso as she inched deeper into the darkness, light brought forth only by scarcely placed torches. "It's me, Akasha. I wanted to see you before I left. I didn't want to leave you like this." This time she received a response from Shinso as he barely looked over his shoulder to look upon her before he returned back to his deceased bride.

It had been too long since Akasha saw her adopted father's face and it wounded her so that this strong man, this almighty vampire reduced to mere tears. She remembered the day when she first met both Shinso and Zaleska deep in the woods her birth parents had abandoned them to fend for themselves. She and her twin Alucard were vampires born of human parents, an ill omen perceived by the elders of their home village and reason for their exile. They were so young, they would have died to the hostile wilderness if it were not due to the only kindness they had ever known by the ancestors of nearly all vampires. Since their adoption, both were taught and trained in both the arts of combat and governance, ingrained with the ideals of compassion, justice and equality of all regardless of species. How to love and care others.

Unfortunately it was not a lesson that Alucard took to heart as intended when he learned how to use the blood inheritance of Shinso to absorb the powers and abilities of other monsters to increase his own powers in the attempt to destroy the world. "The time draws near where I must face Alucard." Akasha announced to him. "But should you not be the one to reason with him? He is still your son-"

"He is _not_ my son!" Shinso roared, his yoki erupted into a cyclone of rage and anger. Akasha could not blame him for his rage against Alucard. Yet she could not truly blame Alucard, her twin, in his quest to destroy the world. Both had learned long ago from Shinso not only the prophecy of both the Human and Monster Realms, but also of the vampire ancestor's history. The great lord had gained the ability of prophecy and foresight and attempted to use it to improve the lives of all those who seek such wisdom to better their lot in life weather they were monster or human. Yet this knowledge pained him to no end, that the pain and horror that have yet to come must come to past if there is to be harmony with this world.

Alucard, in his love for Shinso, attempted to defy destiny through the destruction of the world. So that he would not experience such pain. However down the path that would lead him to the power that will allow him to accomplish his goals, Zaleska tried to stop him. To reason with him. In the end, Alucard took his adopted mother's life.

"Father!" Akasha attempted to rush towards Shinso's side, to bring him back from the depths of depression and back into the man that raised her and Alucard so lovingly. Yet she was halted when a hand was placed upon her shoulder. She turned and saw that the hand belonged to Tenmei Mikogami who shook his head. The gesture silently told her that what she wanted to do was ill advised, that it would go against what was foretold for her and her bloodline.

"We must do what is demanded of us by fate." Mikogami stated. "Not all tales end in merriment, as evident in our lord before us."

"Heartless as it sounds, Mikogami is correct." Akasha then turned towards her closest friend Touhou Fuhai. "We must leave to battle Alucard before any more damage is done to the world."

Akasha looked back at Shinso before she nodded and exited the room with her compatriots. The prophecy foretold that the three will succeed in their task to end Alucard's reign of destruction, that they will be proclaimed by all monsters as the Dark Lords and will found a school millenia hence that will teach monsters to co-exist with humanity. It will be that at that school, a human will accidentally enroll and encounter Akasha's daughter and begin a partnership that would reshape the world of both humans and monsters. That partnership will soon find themselves the ancestors of all vampires and that their sealed union will end by the hands of their adopted son.

Destiny was too cruel to such a kind soul as Akasha could hear the wails of Shinso as he cried out her future daughter's name.

* * *

And thus concludes the second one-shot story to involve Shinso, and boy what a whopper of a twist. Though I must be honest, exactly how many of you have seen this otherwise Shyamalan twist?

As always, no flames nor brutally honest reviews.


End file.
